Kaizen Men's Weekend questions and answers
Everything a man usually wants to know before he registers for a three day weekend with people he has not met, in one place. Cost, hours, food, what to bring, what is asked of him, what he can decline, refunds, and the harder questions the current site does not touch.
Every question men ask before the Kaizen Men's Weekend
Ten of these are the questions the weekend has always answered. The rest are the ones men actually ask a friend in the parking lot and never ask the organizers, so they are answered here too.
If the one you have is not on this list, call Janjua at 770-851-7368 or send it through the contact page.
Before anything else, one honest note. A three day intensive is not treatment, and the men holding the room are volunteers rather than clinicians. If you are struggling with your mental health right now, start with NIMH's guidance on men and mental health. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Men not asking for help when they need it is a documented pattern rather than a personal failing, which is part of why the APA published guidelines for psychological practice with boys and men. Come to a weekend when you are steady enough to get something out of it.
Kaizen Men's Weekend questions, answered
What does the Kaizen Men's Weekend cost, and what does it cover?
$497. That covers the weekend and the food: dinner on Friday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday; and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. There is nothing else to buy on site and nothing is sold to you during the weekend.
What is the schedule, and what activities are planned?
The weekend starts at noon on Friday, October 23 and runs until it completes on Sunday, October 25. The schedule is built to push you mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally, and there is a great deal of laughing in it. The specific content is not published, on purpose: knowing the answers in advance is what would take them away from you.
Who are the staff, and what qualifications do they have?
The staff are men volunteering their weekend to hold space for the men who come. They have been doing this work a long time. In the words of the men who run it, their resumes are not what is important here. What matters is what you already carry, and the collective wisdom of the men in the room.
Where is the weekend held, where do I park, and is lodging provided?
The El Segundo Masonic Center, 520 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245. There is free public parking at 533 Main St, a short walk away. Lodging is not currently listed as part of the weekend, so plan on your own accommodation or your own bed. Call Janjua at 770-851-7368 to confirm before you book anything.
What should I bring to the men's weekend?
Water, snacks, a flashlight, a towel, a printed photograph of your father or a father figure, and a printed photograph of yourself at twelve years old or younger. A portable musical instrument if you play one. Anything else you personally need to get through three days. Print the photographs before you come; a picture on your phone is not the same thing.
How do I pay, and can I pay at the door?
Credit card online is the usual way. Click register and you will be taken to checkout, where you can pay in full or leave a $100 deposit with the balance due before the weekend begins. You can also pay at the door by credit card or Zelle.
Do I have to attend the whole weekend, or can I leave and come back?
The whole weekend. It builds on itself, so there are no ins and outs once the programming starts. Arrange your Friday, Saturday and Sunday before you register, not after.
What is the minimum age to attend?
21. If you are younger than that and you still want to come, call Janjua at 770-851-7368 and talk it through.
What is the purpose of the Kaizen Men's Weekend?
To return to the truth of who we are as men, so that together, we can be the men we always wanted to be.
Who do I contact with a question that is not answered here?
Call Janjua at 770-851-7368. A man will answer and talk to you about it. You can also send a question through the contact page if you would rather write than call.
Is this a cult?
No, and it is a fair question to ask about any men's group. Here is the distinction that matters: the weekend is confidential, not secret. What a man says in that room stays in that room for the same reason you would not repeat what a friend told you at two in the morning. Everything else is on this website: who runs it, what it costs, where it is, what is provided, what is asked of you, and what you are free to decline. You keep your phone, your keys and your car. You are not asked to recruit anyone, donate anything, or come back.
Do I have to share, cry, or take my clothes off?
You do not have to share. Men speak when they choose to, and plenty of men spend the first day mostly listening. Nothing is done to you and nothing is required of your body. What most men report is the opposite of what they feared: they end up wanting to say more than they planned to, because the room turns out to be safe.
What do I tell my wife or my partner?
Try this: it is a three day men's weekend in El Segundo, it costs $497, meals are included, roughly thirty men will be there, and it is the kind of thing where men talk honestly about their lives. Show her this website. There is nothing on it you need to leave out. If she has questions, she is welcome to call Janjua at 770-851-7368 herself.
What happens after the weekend ends?
You drive home on Sunday and go back to your life on Monday. Kaizen means continuous improvement, small changes made consistently, so the weekend is a beginning and not a finish line. Ask the men you meet what they do to keep going, and ask Janjua what is available through Kaizen Dojo after the weekend.
What if I have to cancel after I register?
Event fees are non-refundable unless Kaizen Dojo cancels the weekend, in which case you get a full refund or a transfer to a future one. If your plans change and you cannot make it, you can ask for a credit toward a future weekend, granted at their discretion. Call Janjua at 770-851-7368 as soon as you know, not the week of.
Who actually runs this?
Kaizen Community, a nonprofit limited liability company, doing business as Kaizen Dojo. The weekend is staffed by volunteers. You can reach the organization at kaizendojocommunity@gmail.com, or call Janjua at 770-851-7368.
What if I am in crisis right now?
Then this weekend is not the right first step, and saying so is not us turning you away. A three day intensive is not treatment and the staff are not clinicians. If you are struggling with your mental health, start with NIMH's guidance for men, linked at the top of this page. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Come to a weekend when you are steady enough to get something out of it.